This Thursday, Santa will make his annual visit to Angelina’s Cafe on the corner of California and 22nd Avenue.

Stop by between 2pm and 4:30pm to get a picture with Santa and participate in some holiday cookies decorating.

At 3pm, there will also be a special magic show featuring Professor Salamini, aka Mr. Rando, father to owner Angie Rando.

Angelina’s is also hosting a drop-off bin for the SFFD Toys for Tots program. Bring by a new, unwrapped toy anytime to donate for ages infant up to 12 years.

Merry Christmas!

Sarah B.

This holiday season, the Richmond District Police Station is hosting a donation barrel in their front lobby for the Operation Dream Toy Drive. Toys will be given to children in San Francisco Public Housing.

To donate, bring a new, unwrapped toy (no toy guns or weapons please) to the station at 461 6th Avenue.

Operation Dream (Diverse Response to Education, Activities, and Mentorship) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1994 by members of the San Francisco Police Department’s Housing Task Force. The organization is made up of San Francisco citizens, business owners, and police officers and is focused on the needs of disadvantaged children in San Francisco.

Stop by on Tuesday, December 13th between 1pm and 5pm and you can also take part in the station’s holiday party, where you can chat with local merchants and residents in the station’s Community Room.

Sarah B.

This Saturday, the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park is holding their annual “Frosting the Conservatory” workshop. Stop by to build your own holiday creations from gingerbread, and help support Conservatory programs at the same time.

Sink your teeth into the holidays with this fun edible architecture event for the whole family. Drop in between 11 AM and 3 PM, and you¹ll receive delectable building supplies including Graham Crackers, frosting and candy treats to construct the mini greenhouse of your dreams. Take it home for the holiday table, or eat it right on the spot.

The Poetry Store will also be at the event, ready and willing to create a free poem for you right on the spot. Get one made for a friend or family member, or ask them to whip up an ode to you on their vintage typewriter.

The cost to participate is $10 per building kit, and all ages are welcome. Proceeds from the “Frosting the Conservatory” event go towards the Maintenance Fund, which helps keep the historic greenhouse on the building frosty white.

While you’re there, don’t miss the Playland-themed Garden Railway in the special exhibits room. Well, that is if you can get up after having eaten your gingerbread house…

Sarah B.

Registration begins December 1 for the free weekend winter art workshops at the Richmond District Neighborhood Center for kids age 5 to 12 years. This winter’s courses include:

Saturdays in January with Donna Ozawa
Every Saturday from 1-3pm, artist Donna Ozawa will show students how to create fun artwork using a variety of mediums. Students will learn how to make marble mazes, scribble monsters, portable landscapes and cardboard automata (simple machines).

Saturdays in February with Lyall Harris
Artist Lyall Harris will lead art projects in book making, valentine’s day cards, map making and printmaking. Every Saturday in February from 10am until 12noon.

Fun with Photography Scavenger Hunt | January 15 & February 12
Photographer Jan Nicholas is back with more inventive photo challenges for young shutterbugs. Each day from 1pm until 2:30pm, kids will explore the neighborhood around the RDNC, as well as Mountain Lake Park, as they participate in a photo scavenger hunt.

To register for the free RDNC winter art workshops, download and complete the Multicultural Arts Program application and turn it in at the RDNC offices at 741 30th Avenue, or fax it to 751-5606. You can also register by phone at 751-6600.

There is a limit of two workshops per child, who must be between the ages of 5 and 12 and reside in San Francisco. Registration opens December 1 but spaces fill up fast so get your application in as quickly as you can.

Sarah B.

In September, the Richmond District YMCA announced that it would be expanding its space to include the Clubhouse at Argonne Playground, located on 18th Avenue between Geary and Anza. That’s just one block south of the existing YMCA building.

Programming at the Clubhouse will pertain to the YMCA’s three areas of focus: Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility.

This Saturday from 10am until 1pm, the YMCA will officially kick off their use of the clubhouse with a community celebration.

Join us for a free day of fun for all ages at our new program site at the Argonne Playground Clubhouse! We will be offering giveaways, snacks, youth and adult class demos, raffle prizes, discounted program cards, and more!

Free class demonstrations during the day include:

10:00 – Storytelling and Movement
10:45 – All Ages Zumba
11:30 – Arts and Crafts
12:15 – Cooking Workshop

The Argonne Clubhouse was renovated in 2006, but was closed to the community in 2010 due to budget cuts. The YMCA is partnering with SF Rec & Park on the project.

For more information about the Argonne Clubhouse and a schedule of activities, visit ymcasf.org/richmond/argonne.

Sarah B.

BOO! Halloween is almost upon us and events are kicking off here in the neighborhood (most of them family-friendly). So gather family and friends – in your best costumes of course – to celebrate!

Happy Halloween to all!

Sarah B.

P.S. – If we missed any events, leave a comment to let us know and we can add it to the post.

HALLOWEEN EVENTS FOR 2011

Safari Adventure Halloween at the YMCA
October 28, 5:30pm – 8pm | 360 18th Avenue
Celebrate a Safari Adventure Halloween with Arts and Crafts, Runaway Costume Show, Smores, Pumpkin Carving, Dancing, and Goody Bags for ALL! $5 each person or $15 for a group of 4 (includes 1 pumpkin per family and one hot dog and drink each, plus all activities, and a goody bag). Children under 5 are free. $2 tickets will be available for Food and additional pumpkins. Proceeds benefit Youth & Community programs at the Richmond District YMCA.

===============

Halloween Themed Events at Beach & Park Chalet
October 28 – 30 | 1000 Great Highway

Friday Night Movie Night, 10/28 @9pm: The Shining. Showing at 9PM + late night happy hour prices and popcorn for your movie enjoyment.

Saturday Night: Live Music 10/29 @ 9pm: The Mermen will be playing haunting psychadelic instrumental ocean music. Come one, come all!

Sunday 10/30: Charity & The JamBand, Halloween-style! Our JamBand family music festival will be Halloween-themed from 2-4PM, with tricks & treats for the kids, costumes encouraged!

===============

Supernatural Party at the Academy of Sciences
October 29, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Trick-or-treat through the Academy among “spook-tacular” animals and specimens. Transform with fanciful face painting by local Cirque du Soleil-style artists. “Boo-gie” to the tunes of the Crunchy Frog band, strut your stuff in a costume parade, watch a haunted Halloween movie in the planetarium, and capture the night with photo booth snapshots.

Come in costume and get a free trick-or-treat bag! Enjoy complimentary kid-friendly dinner, beverages, magic shows, ghoulishly good hands-on fun, and more! Proceeds support Academy programs including field trips for 130,000 students yearly.

Cost for non-members is $50 for adults, $35 for kids (group and family discounts available). We couldn’t access member prices but assume it’s cheaper. More info + tickets

===============

Free Entry for Costumed Kids to the Conservatory of Flowers
October 29-30
On Halloween Weekend, children wearing Halloween costumes, aged 11 and under, will receive free admission to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. It’s a great chance to see the final days of the Wicked Plants exhibition, which closes Oct. 30.

===============

The Many Haunts of the RDNC
October 30, 12-3:30PM | 741 30th Avenue
Celebrate Halloween at the Richmond District Neighborhood Center’s Haunted Wonderland. Enter if you dare the spooky-but-not-so-scary haunted building, create weird and wonderful crafts, have your fortune told by Madame Katrinka, experiment with potions in our witches and wizards school, partake in ghoulish games, and gobble down amazing baked goods. Be sure to come dressed in your most boo-tiful or frighteningly freaky costume. All activities are FREE.

===============

Free Haunted House at Frankenart Mart
October 31, 5pm – 9pm | 515 Balboa Street
This Halloween, Frankenart is having a haunted house, and as always, everyone is invited to come and help them scare the crap out of all the toddlers in the neighborhood. They’re planning on a fairly classic haunted house – Frankenstein, Dracula, Werewolves, Mummies, fog machines and the like. Admission is free.

===========

Trick or Treat at Argonne Community Garden
October 31, beginning at dusk | 15th Avenue between Cabrillo & Fulton
The gardeners at the Argonne Community Garden are welcoming families and giving out treats on Halloween evening just after dusk. All neighborhood children are welcome.

Between your visits to the all the school fall festivals this Saturday, stop off at St. James Preschool to do some shopping for the kids.

St. James will be hosting a used clothing sale from 8am until 12noon. Browse through some gently used clothes for kids age up to 5 years old. Plus free coffee and baked goods to fill you up.

St. James School is located at 4620 California Street near 8th Avenue.

Sarah B.

It’s that time of year when schools across the city open their campuses for fall festivals, and the Richmond District is no different.

This Saturday, two elementary schools will host festivals offering games, good food and family activities:

Katherine Delmar Burke School Family Festival, 7070 California Street | 10am – 4pm
Stop in for lots of games, food, shopping and fun. I went last year and there were several bouncy houses, fun carnival games for all ages, the classic win a goldfish, a petting zoo, pony rides, homemade crafts and foods, bake sales and much more.

Admission is $5 per person and certain activities require tickets which can be purchased on-site. Note that dogs are not welcome at the festival and there is no parking along 32nd Avenue during the event.

George Peabody Elementary Carnival, 6th Avenue btwn Clement & California | 12noon – 4pm
Usually Peabody has their fair in the spring but they’ve switched it to the Fall. Festival highlights include games, a jumpy house, rock climbing wall, and delicious food including a taco truck. Peabody will also hold a raffle with prizes, including a new iPad.

Admission to the carnival is free, and tickets can be purchased for $.25 each for select activities (jump house, slide, dunk tank etc.). Attendees can also purchase a “Play All Day Wristband” for $18 which includes access to all game booths, jump and slide, 1 rock wall climb & 1 face paint.

Lafayette Elementary Fall Carnival, 36th Avenue and Anza | 12-4pm
Thanks to a comment from a reader named Laura, I learned about this carnival also taking place on Saturday.

Happy Harvest to all!

Sarah B.